Tell Umm el-'Amr (also known as Saint Hilarion Monastery) is an ancient

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

close to

Deir al-Balah Deir al-Balah or Deir al Balah ( ar, دير البلح, , Monastery of the Date Palm) is a Palestinian city in the central Gaza Strip and the administrative capital of the Deir el-Balah Governorate. It is located over south of Gaza City. The ci ...

in the

Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza. ...

History and archaeology

The archaeological remains at Tell Umm el-'Amr span more than four centuries, from the Late Roman to the

Umayyad The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...

period, and are characterized by five successive churches, bath and sanctuary complexes, geometric mosaics, and an expansive crypt. The site's oldest building, dating to the fourth century, is named for

Hilarion Hilarion the Great (291–371) was an anchorite who spent most of his life in the desert according to the example of Anthony the Great (c. 251–356). While St Anthony is considered to have established Christian monasticism in the Egyptian d ...

, a native of the Gaza region and the father of Palestinian monasticism. The site was abandoned after a seventh-century earthquake and rediscovered by local archaeologists in 1999.

Current state

According to the Ministry of Tourism in Gaza, Tell Umm el-'Amr is in dire need of preservation. Current preservation efforts are plagued by war and conflict in the region, as well as a shortage of materials and equipment needed for excavation. The site was included on the

2012 World Monuments Watch The World Monuments Watch is a flagship advocacy program of the New York-based private non-profit organization World Monuments Fund (WMF) that calls international attention to cultural heritage Cultural heritage is the heritage of t ...

and is classified as "Rescue Needed" by Global Heritage Network.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Tell Umm el-'Amr on Global Heritage NetworkWorld Monuments Fund 2012 Watch List
Archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip Christian monasteries in the Gaza Strip Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Asia Roman sites in Asia